INSULAE EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 17 



The work at the agricultural experiment stations in Alaska has 

 been carried out during the past year in accordance with the plans 

 outlined in former reports. At Sitka horticultural and plant-breed- 

 ing work are given prominence. At Eampart the principal work is 

 in testing and breeding varieties of grain and in experiments with 

 potatoes and hardy legTiminous plants. Farming on a commercial 

 scale, as it must be practiced by settlers, is carried on at Fairbanks, 

 and at Kodiak breeding and care of live stock are the principal 

 investigations. For the present this work is confined to cattle and 

 sheep. 



The plant breeding work at the Sitka station is receiving much 

 attention. The work with hybrid strawberries has been continued 

 with marked success. Of the earlier hybrids produced by crossing 

 the native strawberry of the coast region with a cultivated variety, 

 nearly 200 have shown such valuable characters that they are being 

 propagated and tested to determine their true value. About 35 

 varieties have already produced berries that exceed in size and flavor 

 anv of the cultivated ones found in the local markets, and 15 which 

 have borne the largest and best berries have been selected for propa- 

 gation. Ultimately some of these will be distributed for trial in 

 other parts of the country. Continued efforts have been made to 

 produce additional hybrids, and about 4,000 hybrid seedlings are 

 now being grown at the station. These should begin to bear in two 

 years and give some indication as to their value. In like manner 

 the study of the crosses between the salmonberry and the cultivated 

 raspberry is being continued. Thus far the hybrids have proved 

 very shy bearers, and little judgment can be made as to their value. 



Experiments were begun in 1903 with apple, cherry, plum, and 

 other trees, a small test orchard being set with early varieties of 

 each. During the past season the first apples were matured, six in- 

 troduced varieties having borne fruit of medium size and good 

 quality. About two dozen other varieties have not yet fruited. An 

 experiment is in progress in hybridizing the native crab apple with 

 pollen from other varieties. Some fruits were secured last year, but 

 it will be a number of years before their seedlings will produce fruit 

 to indicate their value. Four varieties of cherries have fruited for the 

 past four years. One variety, Early Richmond, produced abundantly 

 during the past year, and it seems better adapted to its surround- 

 ings than the others. The plums have not fruited. Gooseberries, 

 currants, raspberries, and other bush fruits are receiving attention, 

 and a number of varieties have been found adapted to Alaskan con- 

 ditions. The station is continuing to propagate and distribute for 

 trial a large number of fruit trees and bushes and some ornamental 

 plants. These are furnished to settlers upon request, as far as the 

 supplies will admit, and some are sent to the other stations, where 



56096°— 12 2 



